Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

Nadda rules out leadership change in Himachal Pradesh

Says Jai Ram to lead party in upcoming assembly polls; denies possibilit­y of a cabinet reshuffle

- Gaurav Bisht Gaurav.bisht@hindustant­imes.com

SHIMLA : Amid prevailing speculatio­ns about leadership change in Himachal Pradesh, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Jagat Prakash Nadda ruled out any leadership change in the state ahead of the assembly elections. Nadda made it clear that neither the chief minister nor his cabinet colleagues will be changed. He said the upcoming elections in Himachal will be fought under the leadership of chief minister Jai Ram Thakur

Nadda’s endorsemen­t of Jai Ram’s leadership came two days after Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia claimed that Union broadcasti­ng and informatio­n minister Anurag Thakur would be replacing Jai Ram Thakur. When asked about bickering in the party, Nadda said, “We are seized of the matter and looking into it.”

On being asked in 2017 why

Dhumal was not made the CM, he said, “Decisions are taken on the basis of merit in the party. Leave certain decisions to me.” However, he congratula­ted Dhumal on his birthday on Sunday. He said it was after 38 years that any government succeeded in repeating its government in Uttar Pradesh.

He said Congress candidates lost their security on 389 seats and AAP candidates forfeited their security on all 377 seats. He said it was for the first time that the BJP government won on its own in Manipur.

Nadda lauded state party chief Suresh Kashyap and Jai Ram Thakur for maintainin­g coordinati­on between the government and the organisati­on. “Both government and the organisati­on are functionin­g in a good way,” he said, unfolding the party programmes to reach out to the grass-roots workers ahead of the assembly elections.

For the BJP, power is the medium to serve the people, it is not the goal. Shimla will soon have a flyover connecting Vidhan Sabha to the Victory Tunnel. The initiative­s under the smart city project are praisewort­hy. JP NADDA, BJP national chief

“For the BJP, power is the medium to serve the people, it is not the goal,” he said.

Nadda highlighte­d the works done by his government for Shimla town, particular­ly under the smart city project.

He said Shimla will soon have a flyover connecting Vidhan Sabha to the Victory Tunnel, the railway station will now be in a duct and the road above it will be widened.

 ?? DEEPAK SANSTA/HT ?? BJP national president JP Nadda (left) addresses a press conference in Shimla on Sunday.
DEEPAK SANSTA/HT BJP national president JP Nadda (left) addresses a press conference in Shimla on Sunday.

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